Confectionery making machine



Aug. 19, 1947. KQQMAN I 2,425,942

CONFECTIONERY MAKING MACHINE Filed July 15. 1943 Ina 6W. JicabJl7f00ma/w:

Patented Aug. 19, 1947 UNITED STAT ES PATENT Jacob J. Kooman,Chicago,.Ill.,- assignor to Genfections, :Inc., Chicago, 111., a"corporation "of Illinois Application July 15, 1943,Seria;lNn. 494;777

2 Claims. 1

The 'invention relates to confectionery making machines and hasreference more particularly to improved mixing apparatus which will beefli- -cient in operation and capable of increased'production in'themaking of coated popcorn or similar confections.

The primary object of the invention therefore is to provide apparatusfor mixing and coating popcorn and other cereals with aasyrup such ascaramel, which will be relatively simple in construction, easy to clean,and sanitary in operation, as well as capable of performing the mixingand discharge of the confection in such rapid manner as to materiallyincrease production.

A further object of the invention is to provide mixing apparatus of thecharacter described wherein the materials are delivered to the apparatusat the top thereof and discharged from the bottom following the mixingoperation.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consistof certain novel features of construction and operation as will be morefull described and particularly pointed out in the specification,drawing and claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, which illustrates an embodiment of the invention, andwherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts, thefigure is an elevational view, parts being shown in section, of theimproved confectionery making machine forming the subject matter of thepresent invention.

Referring to the drawing, the beam I'D indicates the floor on which thepresent confectionery making machine is supported. In accordance withthe invention, part of the apparatus, including the mixing screw and thepower means, are located above said floor, being supported thereby,although part of the mixing container extends through the floor todepend below the same so that the coated confectionery upon dischargecan be delivered by gravity to a hopper for subsequent operations.

The beam Ill supports the uprights l l and H! which comprise the mainelements of the supporting structure for the driving mechanism includingthe electric motor l3, suitabl secured by brackets I4 to the upright H.The pinion l5, fixed to the shaft of the electric motor, drives the gearIS on the counter-shaft I I. Said shaft is suitably journalled forrotation at its respective ends. The lower end of the shaft is supportedby the member [8 which provides the bearing 20 for taking the downwardthrust and weight of the counter-shaft. Immediately above saidthrust-bearing the pinion 2! is secured to shaft H. The upper end of thcounter-shaft projects beyond the transverse beam 2 2 which connects theuprights -H and I2, maintaining them in proper sp'aced relation andsuitably strengthening the supporting-structure for the drive. Theprojecting end of shaft I'l receives the yoke-identified in its entiretyby numeral 23, which provides takeup mechanism for the drive to the'mixing container. 'The yoke includes apart 24 through which thecounter-shaftextends and anupper bearing 25 which functions to journalthe pro- ,1 ect-ing end of'thecounter-shaft. The stud shaft 215 issuitably journalled by spaced portions 21 and 28 comprising extensionsof theyoke 23. A pinion 30 is suitably fixed to the counter-shaft llbetween the arms of the yoke and said pinion has meshing relation with asimilar .pini'o-n 3| suitably fixed to the stud shaft '26 betweentheextensions of said arms. .Apulley 32 isfixed to said stud shaftimmediately below "the pinion.

A belt drive operatively connects the pulleys?! with pulley 33 onoperating shaft 34. Shaft 34 at its depending-end includes theconnection 35 by means of which the mixing element 36 is securedthereto. Said element 36 comprises two members of spiral formationarranged as a unit to form a compound screw. By means of the connection35 the mixing element 36 can be detached from operating shaft 34 when itis desired to clean the mixing element or replace the same with anewone. For this purpose the operating shaft 34 is journalled by hearing 37and, driven by pulley 33 in a manner to permit axial movement of theshaft so that the same can be elevated-or lowered with respect to themixing container 3B. When the shaft 34 is elevated the screw 36fislifted from the container 38 and the same can then be cleaned. The driveshaft is lowered before resuming operations again.

The mixing container 38 comprises an elongated-cylinder with an open topbut having a bot-.- tom member 43 which maybe alternately openedandclosed in synchronism with the mixingoperations. The container issuitably journalled for rotationb'eing supported by the fi'oor beam IDin a manner whereby the lower end of the container extends through thefloor and depends some distance below the same. The casting- 4| is fixedto the container adjacent said lower end and said casting extendscompletely around the same for supporting the container on the bearing42, a plurality of hardened steel balls 43 being located between theparts to substantially reduce friction. The castin-gandsupportingbearing are enclosed.

within the housing 44, which additionally provides a thrust bearing fortaking up side thrust imparted thereto by the casting. The gear 45 isfixed to the container immediately above the journaling means thereforand said gear is operatively connected by means of the chain 46 with thepinion 2! on the counter-shaft H.

The ingredients to be mixed or coated are supplied to the containerthrough the open top thereof by means of the chute 41. The quantity ofingredients discharged from the chute for any mixing operation may becontrolled either manually or by some automatic means. The container isfilled to an appropriate level and in those cases where popcorn is to becoated with caramel, the syrup is first cooked in kettles. One or moreof these kettles may be supported on the table 48 immediately precedingdischarge of the cooked syrup to the mixing container. The mixingoperation is performed by rotating the container 38 in one direction andthe mixing screw 36 in an opposite direction. More particularly, thescrew 35 is rotated at a speed in excess of the container and in adirection to cause travel of the material upwardly. When the materialleaves the screw at its upper end it i discharged downwardly by gravityand this operation is repeated many times in order to thoroughly anduniformly coat the ingredients.

The fact that the mixing screw rotates in a direction opposite to thecontainer is due to the location of the pinion 3| in the connectionsfrom counter-shaft I l to drive shaft 34. As a result of this pinionshaft 34 rotates in a direction opposite to shaft [1. The container 38has the same direction of rotation as shaft I! since it is directlydriven by means of the chain from pinion 2 I.

In confectionery making machines as heretofore constructed considerabletime has been lost in discharging the coated ingredients from the mixingcontainer. It is necessary that the coating ingredients be discharged ina manner which will leave the container in a clean and sanitarycondition. The invention provides means for accomplishing this objectiveand in addition the confection is discharged in such a rapid manner asto materially increase production. The container 38 is provided with thebottom member 49, pivoted to the container at 50. Said member thereforehas a closed and an open position with respect to the container and inorder to effectively close the same the member has a diameter somewhatlarger so as to project a short distance beyond the container. Thehardened steel plate 5| is secured to the undersurface of the member 40centrally thereof and a substantially frictionless member 52 in the formof a castor or rotatably mounted ball is adapted to have bearing contactwith said plate. Said member 52 is carried at the free end of th lever53, pivoted to control shaft 54, suitably supported from theundersurface of the floor beam It] by means of the hanger 55. The hangerand control shaft are separated from the member 49 by a baflie 56, asshown in the drawings. The bafile prevents the coated ingredients upondischarge from the container from coming in contact with the controlmechanism for the pivoted bottom member 40 and therefore the baffleprevents contamination of said coated ingredients, thus maintainingproper sanitary conditions. The depending lower end of the container 38,the pivoted bottom member All, and the controls for said member, are alllocated within the hopper 51,

In operation of the mixing apparatus of the invention the motor I3 isstarted to cause rotation of the counter-shaft H, which in turn producesrotation of the mixing screw 36 and the container 38 in oppositedirections and at different speeds. Material such as popcorn or drycereal suificient for one miXing operation is admitted to the containerand a quantity of syrup or the like is then poured over the ingredients.Agitation to insure thorough and uniform coating immediately takesplace, being effected primarily by the screw 36. When this agitation hascontinued for a predetermined interval of time the operator throughactuation of shaft 54 drops the lever 53 downwardly, which allows thepivoted bottom member 40 to open. The extent of the opening of saidmember may be controlled by a stop 58. Satisfactory discharge of thecoated ingredients takes place since the container is rotating at thetime and centrifugal action throws the material outwardly through theopening thus provided in the bottom. The discharge action is completeand thorough so as to maintain the interior surfaces of the container ina clean condition. The hopper 5'! provides a housing enclosing thedepending bottom end of the container and thus the dischargedingredients are collected by the hopper and may be delivered by the sameto other apparatus for further processing.

What is claimed is:

1. In confectionery making apparatus, a mixing device including acontainer of substantially cylindrical shape having its longitudinalaxis disposed vertically, means having encircling relation with thecontainer intermediate the ends thereof for supporting the container forrotation with the lower end of the container depending below the saidsupporting means, driving means for rotating the container, 2. bottomclosure member comprising a substantially flat disc pivotally secured tothe container adjacent the end depending below the supporting means, thepivot axis of said memher having a right angle relation with thelongitudinal axis of the container, whereby said closure member rotateswith the container and may be opened and closed during said rotation,and means controlling said positions of the bottom closure memberincluding a movable lever and a substantially frictionless bearingmember located at the end of said lever and having contact with theundersurface of the bottom closure member substantially centrallythereof, whereby actuation of the lever in one direction appliespressure to the member to maintain the same closed and actuation of thelever in the other direction releases said pressure permitting themember to open.

2. In confectionery making apparatus, a mixing device including acontainer of substantiall cylindrical shape having its longitudinaI axisdisposed vertically, means having encircling relation with the containerintermediate the ends thereof for supporting the container for rotationwith the lower end of the container depending below the said supportingmeans, driving means for rotating the container, a bottom closure membercomprising a substantially flat disc pivotally secured to the containeradjacent the end depending below the supporting means, the pivot axis ofsaid member having a right angle relation with the longitudinal axis ofthe container, whereby said closure member rotates with the containerand may be opened and closed during said rotation, and control meanssupported independently of the container including'a bearing adapted tocontact the under surface of the bottom closure member substantiallycentrally thereof for controlling the positions of the member duringsaid rotation of the container.

JAC'OB J. KOOMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PA I'ENTS Name Date Poole May 28, 1867 Number NumberNumber 10 20,799 1,511

